Phonograph-record-playing repeater



H. E. THOMPSON.

-PHONOGRAPH RECORD PLAYING REPEATER. APPLICATION FILED AuG.23. 1920. IIENEwEn DEC. 12.192I.

1,412,148. Patented Apr. 411, 1922,

/59 J f J7 A 7 f5 A 7 I I A f 'ITM' 22 2f),

` A H Anonnn THOMPSON, or INDIANAronrs, INDIANA.

L rnoNoGR-APH-Rnconn-PLAYING nnrnnrnn."

l Specicaton cf Letters atent. i 11V, 1922,

Application filed Augi'ust 23, 1920, Serial No. L195,436. Renewed IDecei/nber 12,'192`1QSe1ia1 No. 521,928.;

To all wko/m, t may concern: A y

Beit known that I, HAROLD EQTHOMP- soNaa citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in lhonograph- Record-Playing Repeaters, of which the following is a specification.

So far as I am aware inventive effort to provide an Vattachment for phonographs that will automatically cause a repetition aty will of any record-disk played thereon, has only succeeded where certain adjustments of the attachment were made each time one record-disk was changed for another with impressed record briefer or longer than'the one previously played. This inconvenience to users unskilled in mechanical'adjustments has appeared so lgreat that such attachments have failed' of popularity vand common use; but therpleasure derived from an automatic repeating device would cause its popular acceptance were the above `difficulty over# come. Y I

It appears that the possibility of incorporating into each'reco-rd itself the control thatwould otherwise have `tobe'in the attachment has apparently been overlooked, and I have therefore resorted to such means for eliminating the inconvenience mentioned and have produced fa variety of devices which obtain` the desired end in ja simple manner, of which a representative form is illustrated herewith and described in the following specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a device readily applicable to all commercial types of phonograph apparatus, and automatically operated -from the .-'soundrecord disk. for lifting the stylus out of contactV with the disk after it has played arre cordJ and transferring it to the place' 0f be- `@inning into contact with the disk inorder to repeat the reproduction fof the soundsrecorded upon said sound-record disk.

The object further is to proiude this device of such construction andoperation that Y if expedient'to specially prepare the record oisk the device will function accurately with successivelrecords without any adjustments of the device itselfgor, if standard unprepared record disks are used, a simple temporary preparation of the recorddisks will suiiice'to effect an accurate adjustment to offset the variation that exists between respective record disks inthe distance fromV i the'center which'the recordedmusical or drag on or rub ythe. surface of the record' 'disk and thus tend to mar its perfection of impressed selection', or'even the perfection of its polish or glossyffinish which might suggest damage to the record disk. Y

`A still further object is to provide ade-v vice "that will so operate 'as not to noticeably, i retardv the rotative speed' of the record disk or cause it'to slip upon the revolving turn-V table lfrom which its'motion of revolution is derived,'or in any waytend to cause stop-Y page of a weakly-powered phonograph, or

thel cessationof useful operation due to rec- Y .ord slippage.v

accomplish the above', and otherpobjects which will hereinafter appear, by the rne'ch-y Y anism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which :4 n

Fig. .l is a top plan view of a phonograph and cabinet with my invention operatively applied. Figa 2, is' a'fvertical section'` on the line 2-2 of Figpl; Figz, is a side elevation of the soundbox and its supporting sleeve with -rny invention a'ppliedgthe` record-disk and turn-table being in section with the stylus inthe groove of the disk bringing the Acone-wheel of thev repeater into' Contact with the disk. Fig. 4, is a View in rear elevationY of the sound-box and associated parts shownin Fig. 3. Fig. 5,5is a.

section 4on a larger scale of part'of a soundrecord disk embodying my invention in so far as the disk is concerned, and` Fig.` 6, is a like view of amodiiied forni of disk.

lLike characters offreference indicate `like parts in the several views of the drawing.

is a spring, electric, or other usual or suits' able motor-mechanism (notshown) forrotating a turn-table 7, on which a sounderecheferring now to the drawing, the ,referord disk 8, ismounted in the usual manner. y

In the'form shown in Fig. l, a motor-driven" shaft 9 hasa pulley by which it isconnected by a belt 10, with the'turntable. A switch Il is for starting'and stopping the motor,

and 1 2 is an indicator-control for'regulating thesp'eed of the turntable.l vA tone-arm 13, discharges into a sound-deliverer vunder floor 6, of usual orsuitable construction (not shown). The tone-armris jointed' in the` usual manner at 14, to permit the outer member to fold up and back, and the arm as awhole has horizontal oscillatory adjustment on its vertical end 15. The opposite end of the tone-arm terminates with a transverse split sleeve 16, with clamping flanges atthe split which are brought toward each sleeve 16, is an extension 21, from the soundbox, having a worm-gear wheel 22, engaged by a worm on shaft 23. The upper kend of shaft 23 is mounted in a journal-box on the end of an arm 24, carried by the sleeve 18. The lower end of the shaft 23 passes through the bent lower end of an arm 25, also carried by the sleeve 18, but, to provide a resilient adjustmentV to the shaft longitudinally, the lend' of the latter is preferably passed through arm 25, as shown in Fig. et, and rests upon a spring 2G carried by arm 25. Mounted in a fixed manner Yon the shaft 23, is a friction wheel 27, preferably in the form of a conical frustum as shown, and interiorly hollow for the assembly therein of a rubber or other like sort and tractile material 28, which projects below the lower edge of the wheel to make rolling contact with the sound-record disk when suitably lowered; and in order to contact only a portion of the complete circular projection I incline the shaft 23, inwardly, or with its lower end further in than itsupper end toward the center of the disk 8, and also closer to a vertical plane through the axis of sleeve 18, which causes the wheel 27 to roll toward the outer edge of the sound-record disk. 8 by contact with the disk when the disk is rotating. At the upper end of the journal-box carried by the arm 2d, is a set-screw 29, by which the shaft 23 may be adjusted longitudinally against spring to Vvary the elevation of wheel 27 above the sound-record disk 8, for

Vpurposes which will hereinafter appear.

Connected with the sound-boi; 2O are the usual fulcrum-projections upon which the pivot-frame 30 ofr an upwardly extending vibrator-arm 31 is pivoted, and the upper end of the arm 31 is connected with the diaphragm of the sound-box (not shown) lin the usual manner. Connected with and extending downwardly from the pivot-frame 30 is the stylus-holder 32, in which Ais the stylus 33, adapted to contact operatively with the sound-record impressions of the sound-record disk. 1t is held by the set-- screw 311.

On the back of the sound-box is a single lug 35, which cont-acts the round end of a spring-pressed pin 37, mounted in a socket in an adjustable screw 36, in a standard carried by the sleeve 18. A milled wheel 38 on the screw 36, allows thepin 37 to be carefully adjusted with relation to the lug 35, to just resist the rotary tendency of the sound-box caused by the drag of the stylus against the rotating sound-record disk; but

anything greater,'as by the drive of wheel 27, through the wormgear, by the contact of said wheel with the rotating sound-reo ord disk, will carry the lug 35 past the pin 37', and cause the sound-boi; to be rotated thereby lifting the stylus away from the disk, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. d. Hence, itis important to adjust the elevation of the wheel 27 above the sound-record disk 8, by means of set-screw 29, as previously stated.

Between the sound-record impressions of the sound-record disk 8, and the center of the disk, and connected therewith to form a continuation of the said impressions, which, as is well known, follows in spiral grooves, 1 provide an additional groove 38 enough deeper than the sound-record grooves to suiiiciently lower the point of the stylus to rest the weight that has been supported by it upon the friction-wheel 27, as shown in Figs. 3 and t, and thereupon shaft 23 and its worm will be rotated by the action oit the moving disk 8 on wheel 27, and the worm-wheel connected with the sound-box 20 will be rotated, correspondingly rotating the latter. The wheel 27 will roll toward the outside of the disk 8, until arrested by contact with a stop seated in the cabinet floor 6, and extending up in the path of the tonearm 13. This is a standard 39, terminating with a head having a threaded hole through which a set-screw 40 is screwed, to secure an adjustable stop. l

lVhen the outward travel of the wheel 27 across the 'disk 8 is arrested the wheel will continue to rotate thereby rotating thesoundbox 2O until the latter suiiiciently completesV a revolution. to bringthe stylus again into contact with the disk, whereupon the drag or friction of the disk against the stylus will continue the rotation of thesound-boi lift` ing the latter and attached friction-wheel until the friction wheel is quite out of contact with the disk and until the further rota tion of the sound-box is arrested by the contact of its lug 35 with the spring-pin 37. The position of the stylus is then such as to support the load from the disk 8 and to prevent contact between the friction wheel 27 and disk 8. The stylus will then follow the record lines of the disk until it again reaches the groove 38, whereupon the above operations will be repeated.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, in-

steadof providing a groove 38 for the stylus to drop into and lower the wheel 27 into contact with lthe* disk 8, I have shown a raised center plane or plateau 4l, with which the wheel will contact and on which it will ride and be rotated .thereby rotating the sound-box and lifting the stylus out of contact with the record in the same manner as above described. Q

So far as I am aware, I am the first to control a repeating mechanism from a formation attached to or made in the soundrecord disk and I therefore do not desire yto be limited to the groove or plateau' means shown as it is evident that many vsubstitutions may be made without substantially de-V parting from the spirit of my invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, several of which I have embodied in operative devices (notY shown) and to more fully. elucidate the claims' will here briefly describe: i Y

(l.) A substitute form of. speed reducing mechanism (not shown) for the worm 'and wheel shown, with the wheel 27 advanta geously set with its axis substantially` parallel to .the plane of therecord disk would .func-v tionidentically as if this axis in extension passed on the proper side of and at aiproper distance from the vertical axis about which the record disk revolves. This form would admit of a smaller wheel butVV gives a disadvantageous wheel location with reference to the stylus 33. n l

(2.) For the wheel 27 inthe substitution above noted two or more wheels may be used (not shown), one contacting with the record disk to raise the sound box and stylus and the other contacting with the disk to cause the lowering of the sound box and stylus ,when the first wheel has over-traveled and overhangs theouter edge of the record disk. This form would operate rto lower the stylus at the outer edge of the disk regard-- less of the disks diameter and'without the necessity of an adjustable stop such as standard 39 with its set screw 40, but on account of the disadvantageous location of the wheels with. reference tothe styllus this modification would not be v dependable for accuracy of operation. Y

An, oscillating movementv of the stylus 33 might be substituted for the rotary movement about the lengthwiseaxis of sleeve 19 by displacing the kwormdrive shown, bv a suitable crank, eccentric, or cam mechanism (notishowin) operatively connected with t'wheel 27 or one of its sug-` gested substitutes--l `ThefaXis of oscillation may then he shifted to the end` 14 of the tone arm 13, and the' various sleevesl, 18,`

19 and theirrelated partsomittedorgreatly simplified. This would' simplify the structure but the lessened travel of the stylus f 33 would demand a too gradual retreatl from.

and approach toward the surface ofdisk 8, with consequent peculiarities ofoperation. (4.) It is evident that the raised :plateau might be a raised ring, or ring'k sector, or

' initiate its functioning, and that thisraised portion might be integral with or adhesively secured to or merely held by its own weight againstthe surface of disk 8;,alsov that this raised portion, if not integralY with the record disk, might be associated with various record disks successively, and might be` of metal, paper, rubber or other suitable ma-V terial with various perforations 1 (not shown) by which it could be selectively placed over the center pin of theV record disk carrying" table to obtain..` various effuective operating distances from the'center pin. This would require individual record disk adjustment but would be simple and effective. f Y

'It is evident that the additional groove 3S maybe reduced in length and so arranged that the stylus 33 may dip into it Y two or more times (construction not shown) thus contacting the wheel 27V with ,recordV Y disk 8 a corresponding number of times before imparting to wheel 27 suficientrangular movement to effect its automatic function insnot need to be crescent-shaped and therefore would be more readily produced in a. previously unprepared record disk, but without a gradual descent and*V ascent the sound box would be jarred and unpleasant noises crea-ted. f A

(6.) It is evident that instead of being arranged to under-travel any wheels such as wheel 27, the raised portion ofvdisk 8 may vby means of its edge rather Vthan of its top surface, contact the' side rather thanV Vthe periphery of such` wheel (notshown)` or might` contact some intermediate lever or trigger (not shown)to ca usethe suoli wheel to move `mits bearings or with its This would give a groove that would bearings relative tothe sound box and stylus, l

and derive -rotative motion by contacting with the surface of record disk 8. This specific form `Vwhen appropriately arranged would givelvery desirable definiteness ofy operation but the resulting side pressure Vwould. tend to .cause the stylus 331130 jump from one convolutionof the sound-record' groove back intotlie previous one, Vcreatiing disagreeable sounds and preventing *theA functioning of therepeating mechanism'.

lIt is also evidentthat `any other equallyA obvious substitutionswill not depart frorn. the spirit of my invention; but whatIclaini y as new and desire to secure bj; Letters, Pat, ent.is:- A; i y .en

1'. In a player-repeater for phonographs,`

a rotating sound-record disk, a rotatable sound-hok, and a stylus moving with the sound-box, in combination with means coniprising a roller to ieturn the sound-box and stylus to first sound-reproducing position on the disk, means cooperating with the roller for rotating the sound-boi; to lift the stylus from the disk before beginning said return, and means in the structure of the dsk for initiating the functioning of said i'irst means.

2. ln a player-repeater for phonographs.l a rotating sound-record disk, a rotatable sound-box, a stylus moving therewith, means adapted to roll upon the surface of the disk when functioning for returning the soundbox and stylus to first sound-reproducing position on the disk, and means in the strueture of the disk for rotating the sound-box by said roll-means to vary the relation between the point of the stylus and the plane y of the sound-record impressions of the disk thereby initiating the functioning of the sound-boi: and stylus-returning means.

3. ln a player-repeater for phonographs, a rotating sound-record disk, Va rotatable sound-box, a stylus moving therewith, a return carrier adapted to roll upon the surface of the disk when functioning, means operated by the rolling of the return carrier for rotating the sound box, and means for automatically starting the functioning` of the return carrier.

'l. in a player-repeater for phonographs, a rot-ating sound-record disk, a rotatable sound-boil,v a stylus moving therewith, a return carrier-wheel, means operated by the wheel. to rotate the sound-box and disengage the stylus from the disk, and means for automatically starting the operation of the return carrier-wheel.

ln a player-repeater for phonographs, a rotating sound-record disk, a rotatable sound-box, a stylus moving therewith, an automaticV wheeled return carrier having means to first rotate the sound-box and move the stylus out of Contact with the disk, and means for automatically starting the operation of the wheeled carrier.

G. In a player-repeater forvphonographs, a rotating sound-record disk, a rotatable sound-box, a stylus moving therewith, means to rotate the sound-boi: and lift the stylus from the record, means not in contact with said record-disk while the phonograph is reproducing sound adapted to be moved into Contact with the disk and first rotate the sound-box and then by rolling contact with said disk automatically return the stylus toelirst sound-reproducing position, and

record disk thereby rendering said last means operative.

7. A sound-record disk for phonographs having sound-record formations and also having another formation adapted to lower a stylus with respect to the plane of said sound-record formations and thereby initiate a subsequent elevation of said stylus out of Contact with any such record formations, a rotatable wheel cooperating with the disk, and stylus-elevating means operated by the rotation of the disk.

8. The combination, with a sound-record4 disk for phonographs having sound-record formations, of a stylus operating in said formations, roller-means operated by oontact with said disk to move the stylus to the place of beginning of a sound record, and gear means operated by the rotation of said roller for lifting the stylus out of said sound-record formations, said disk having another formation to initiate said rolling contact and thereby initiate said stylus lifting and moving operations.

9. In a player-repeater for phonographs, i rotating sound-record disk, a movable sound-box, a stylus moving therewith, a wheel inoperative while the phonograph is reproducing sound, means revolving with said record disk to automatically bring the wheel into Contact with the disk and means cooperating with the wheel during thev contact of the wheel and disk to raise the soundboxV and stylus and deposit t-lie stylus in contact with the disk at the beginning of the lout ofcontact with the disk when the stylus has reached t-he end of the record and then carry the sound-boi; and stylus to the place of beginning of the sound-record.

11. In a player-repeater for phonographs. a rotating sound-record disk, a rotatable sound-box, a stylus moving with the soundbox, Va friction wheel out of contact with the disk while the record isbeing played, a rotative driving means operatively connecting said sound-box with VJthe friction wheel, and means carried by the record to bring the wheel into Contact with the record'.

12. rlhe combination with a sound-record disk Vfor phonographs having sound-record formations, of a stylus operating in said formations, roller means operating by rolling contact with said disk, gear means operated by the rolling operation of the first having another formation adapted to lower a stylus with respect to the' plane of said sound-record formations and thereby initiate a subsequent elevation of said stylus out of control with any suoh record formationsA` and stylus-elevating means operated by the `rotation of the disk.

Signed at Indianapolis, Indiana, this the 17 day of August 1920.

Y HARULD E. THOMPSON. 

